Apparatus for automatically-playing musical instruments.



H. E. GREEN. APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23. 1906.

Patented Sept. 21, 1909. 'l SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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Patented Sept. 21, 1909.

E. GREEN. APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23. 1906.

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H. E. GREEN. APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIGALLY PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23. 1906.

Patented Sept. 21, 1909.

7 SHEETS-'SEEBT 3.

H. E. GREEN APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTSAPPLICATION FILED JULY 23, 1906.

Patented Sept. 21, 1909.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

- H. B. GREEN.

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIGALLY PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLIOATION NILED JULY 23. 1906.

934,606. Patented Sept. 21, 1909.

7 SHBETfi-SHEBT 6.

I H. E GREEN. APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIGALLY PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

AAPPLIOATIONHIIL ED JULY 23. 1906.

Patented Sept. 21, 1909.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

H. E. GREEN. APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, 1906.

Patented Sept. 21, 1909. x. 'I SHEETS-SHEET 7.

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HENRY EDWARD GREEN, OF LEIGH-()N-SEA, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY-PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed July 23, 1908.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 21, 1909.

Serial No. 327,376.

To all whom it may concern:

1. Fig. 3 is a detail View to an enlarged Be it known that I, HENRYEDWARD scale of the primary and secondary pneu- U-nnnn, asubject of theKing of Great Britam and ireland, residing at Elmhurst,-

Cliff larade, Leigl1-o11-Sea, in the county of Essex, England, haveinvented new and useful in'iprovements in Apparatus forAutomatically-Playing Musical Instruments Provided with a Keyboard, suchas Pianos, Organs, and l-larmoniums, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for automaticallyplaying musical instruments provided with a keyboard such as pianos,organs and harmoniums.

The invention is particularly suitable for (ndinary upright pianos asthe construction of the automatic playing apparatus is such that it ispossible toput the whole of the automatic player apparatus within thecase or frame of an ordinary upright piano of the so-called under damperand over strung construction. The average height of the ordinary pianois 4 feet 3 inches and the end is not usually more than 18% inches widefrom front to back. Neither do the fall and hollow need any modificationas to shape or dimensions.

The bellows for supplying the pneumatic action with wind is composed oftwo feeders mounted vertically behind the bottom door or they may bemounted horizontally imme diately under the key bottom (that is to saythe frame or board on which the key frame is mounted) and these feedersare connected by a conduit or conduits or a pipe or pipes to a reservoiror reservoirs behind the bottom door of the piano case or the saidreservoir or. reservoirs may also be mounted under the key bottom saidreservoir or reservoirs being connected to the wind chest or chests ofthe primary pneumatics.

The invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangementof parts as hereinafter fully described in the specification andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is one half and Fig. 1 the otherhalf of a front elevation of a piano of ordinary dimensions andconstruction having the top door, the hollow and fall and the bottom,removed and provided with a player constructed according to thisinvention. Fig. 2 is a cross section of the instrument on inatics withtheir valve and wind chest. Fig. at is a detail cross section of thespool for the music and the take up roller on the line 1 1 of Fig. 1'Fig. 5 is a detail in elevation of a modification of the means foractuating the sticker lever and Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on theline 6-6 Fig. 5. T is one half and Fig. 7 the other half of a frontelevation of a piano provided with a modified construction of apparatusand Fig. 8 is a cross section on the line 8-8 of Fig.1. Fig. 9 is a planof the feeders arranged below the key bottom and Fig. 10 is a sectionthereof on the line 1010 Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a plan of the key bottom with the feeders and reservoirsarranged below same, Fig. 12 is a section of the key bottom on the line1 2-12 Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is a front view thereof, Fig. 1a is a plan ofthe feeders and reservoirs with the key bottom removed and Fig. 15 is anend view of a reservoir.

A suitable construction is made as follows At each end of the instrumentthere is a wind trunk or pipe (1. one only being shown in Fig. l, forthe sake of clearness which is in connection with the bellows, thefeeders b of said bellows being mounted immediately under the key bottomand behind the bottom door being fixed thereto or if desired the windtrunk or trunks or the pipes may be placed in any other convenientposition. The pipe or pipes a or wind trunk or trunks is or areconnected to say three wind chests (2 (Z and 6 arranged horizontally andone over the other. These wind chests (Z and c are provided with theprimary pneumatics j, (Figs. 2 and one for each note, and in connectionwith each primary pneumatic is a double 'alve 9 having seats 26 and 27said valve being adapted to be operated by saidprlmary pneumatic or puffby being mounted on the same stem h. The wind chests 0 (Z and e are eachprovided with a board 28 screwed to same in which board the valve seatsare made but preferably the seats 26 and 27 are made on dished metalplates screwed to the said board 28 and the valve stems 72, are guidedin guides 29 in front of said ho: rd and in guides i8 at the back ofsaid board inside of the wind chests secured by the same screws as holdthe dished metal the line 2-2 Fig. 1, and the line 2-2 Fig. 1 platesforming the valve seats 26 and 27.

Mounted preferably immediately on the wind chests are the secondarypneuinatics 'Z the movable side of each of which is provided with a wireor wooden trace it or other connection which is connected to one of anumber of rock shafts Z of difl'erent lengths. lflach of these traces 7cis provided with a slot like a key hole adapted to engage and retain acrank arm on the end of the rockshaft Z but so as to be easilydisconnected therefrom without necessitating the use of separatefastenings such as screw buttons, linch pins or the like, it beingunderstood that the crank arms have knobs just large enough to passlireely through the larger end of the holes like key holes. Thesereckshafts are preferably made of wire and are mounted on a board marranged and secured within the case and in front of the piano action ofthe instrument in such manner as to rest. and be fixed upon the frontsof the piano action standards a by, for instance, tour screws so thatwhen the piano action is removed it brings with it the board containingthe rock-shafts Z and the traces 0 from the latter and so that therock-shafts Z and the traces 0 and the levers 79 (to be presently morefully described) operating the piano action all come away together. Thesaid levers p are pivoted to the stems of the sticker levers Z in suchmanner that when said levers 7) are moved upward they operate thesticker levers 6, but the latter may be operated in the usual way fromthe key board without causing any movement of the levers there be twowind trunks these are arranged one at each. end or as shown there may betwo pipes a, one at each end (but one only being shown for the sake ofclearness), and the wind chests with their pneumatics Z extend towardthe middle of the instrument where the spool (see Figs. 1 and at) forthe music, the take up roller 9 and the bridge 8 are mounted.

The casing or frame 89 for the music spool and take up roller isprovided with chocks etO one on each side to which the wind chests 0 (Zc are fixed and at their other ends the said wind chests are connectedtogether by blocks 41. The wind chests 0 (Z 6 rest upon the tops of theblocks 42 having dowels to keep them in place and at the top are screwedfor example two blocks such as marked fixed to the ends of the case ofthe instrument. By this means it is only necessary to unscrew these twoscrews and then the two blocks of wind chests with their secondarypneumatics and the traces 70 may be lifted out bodily (if, as is usual.wind trunks be used to connect the wind chests 0 (Z c with the reservoiror reservoirs of the wind supply). The employment of wind trunks ismostconvenient, but in the drawing pipes a are shown as being moreplainly seen. Even i'l pipe connections were used, it would only lJtJGCGSSiIl'Y to disconnect the pipes at each end of the instrument atabout the place indicated by i l, (Fig. l) at the left hand only.Similarl it is evident that. it the board m be unscrewed from the pianoaction stamlards u, the rest of the player mechanism may be removed.

The secondary pneun'iatics z are preterahly arranged as shown in Figs. 1and in banks one above the other, but. staggered or in other words notdirectly over each other so that the space required for them is lessthan the width of the instrument, thus leavn space in the middle for thetake up roller the music spool Q and the bridge '5', and each primarypneumatic f is as shown clearly in Fig. connected to an orilice in thebridge by means for example ot a flexible tube 3 3.

in order that the motion of the secondary pneumatics may be conveyed totheir respcctive notes, the traces /n are o'l lllii cltlll', lengths.the rock-shafts Z and their crank arms are of dil'l'eren t lengths, andsaid shafts are mounted one below the other on the board in, and thetraces 0 to the levers are also of di'tlere1'1t lengtl'is so as toconnect 'n'operlv to the said levers 7) which are all arranged in onestraight level line and mounted on the sticker levers Z as aforesaid. Iidesired however the crank arms of the said rocle shafts Z may be of thesame length but in that case the effective distance apart ot' thesecondary pneumatics is slightly gr *ater. The connection between therock-shafts Z and a member of the piano action such as the stickerlevers, is eilected in each case by means of a wire trace 0 ailorcsaidor other connection which is connected to a second crank arm of eachrock shaft and to one arm or the aforesaid lever 72 n'lounted on thestem of the sticker lever Z. Or instead of mounting the levers 7) foroperating the sticker levers Z on the latter, the construction shown inFigs. 5 and 6 may i e employed. in this case the traces 0 are connectedto levers having slots Z and pivoted at Z on a rail at the back of thesticker levers t, the slot having for purpose to allow the stem of thesticker lever to pass through.

The motor a for operating the spool. oli music may be as shown providedwith three bellows connected to a crank shaft and having a reservoir orit may be constructed in any other convenient manner and is prel erablymounted behind the bottom door 30 ot' the case as shown in Fig. l and onit shaft is mounted a sprocket wheel 1- which by a chain toconm'iunicatcs motion to another sprocket; wheel 0 fixedly mounted on ashaft 51 This shaft 12 has a pinion 2 engaging with a toothed wheel Imounted on the take up roller r. This end of the shaft 12/ is mounted ina bracket 31 adapted to swing on a pivot 32 so that the pinion may he ingear or out of gear with the said ill) ltd

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toothed wheel 1. Motion is also communicated at desire to the spool Q toenable the re-rolling of the music to take place by means of a shaft 41having a sprocket wheel 6 loose on the said shaft over which wheel 6 andover a sprocket wheel 83 on the shaft 1 passes a chain 8. The sprocketwheel 6 has a groove 15 for receiving a pin which is operated in a wellknown manner in connection with the pivoted bracket 31 by a pull outstop or lever and the other end of the boss of the sprocket wheel 6 isprovided with a clutch finger 46 or the like which may engage with or bedisengaged from a clutch part 47 fixed on the shaft 4:. By this meansthe music is taken up by the takeup roller 1' or is re-rolled on themusic spool (1 in the well known manner.

The bellows b are operated by means of pedals 11 hinged to a frame 12,13, 14:, which is itself hinged to the blocks 15, 15, within the pianocase. The pedals 11, (Figs. 1 and 2), connect with the arms 53 fixed tothe movable sides of the bellows or feeders 7) by means of connectingrods or links 16 and the trunk 17 of the feeders, also communicates withthe reservoir 18 which is screwed or otherwise fastened to a pilasterThe said reservoir (or there may be more than one) is connected to themotor by a pipe 20. The feeders are returned to their normal closedpositions by means of springs 50 each of which is connected at one endto an arm 51 on the bellows and at the other end to a hook on the bottomdoor 30 or elsewhere. The bottom door is made with an opening coveredwith a flap 21 which is hinged so as to allow of the pedals 11 beingraised and swung up and back on their frame 12, 13, 141- in such mannerthat the said pedals are out of the way within the piano case when notrequired, after which the hinged flap is allowed to fall down and hidethe pedals. If desired the hinged flap is kept in its raised position bya spring catch 22.

The construction of apparatus shown in Figs. 7 and 8 is very similar tothat already described, the principal points of difference being (1)That the secondary pneumatics 2' are mounted on top of instead of belowthe wind chests (Z and e.

(2} That the secondary pneumatics operate the piano action by pushingdown the rock shafts Zinstead of raising thei and that consequently thelower ends of the traces 7c and the upper ends of the traces 0 aremerely fork shaped as motion is communi cated by pushing instead ofpulling.

(S) The lower ends of the traces 0 ar. connected to certain double armedlevers p which are mounted in forked brackets 3st screwed on to the backof the same board m asthe rock-shafts Z and the inner end of each ofthese double armed levers is adapted to come into contact with a collaror the like on the sticker, or as shown directly on to the sticker lever25. The rail 35 is secured to the board an by arms (shown only in Fig.7) and at each end to the action standards 72-. The said rail 35supports a number of springs 37 which tend to keep the said levers Q92in their normal position and there are regulating buttons 19 adjustablyscrewed into the rail to limit the movement of the said levers 2) asshown only in Fig. 8.

1-) The bellows or feeders b are mounted. horizontally below the keybottom 21 in stead of vertically behind the bottom door of the piano asin the previous construct-ion. The bellows 7) are operated by means ofpedals 11 which by comiecting rods or links 16 are connected to themovable sides of the bellows and the trunk 1? of the feeders (see alsoFigs. 9 and 10) also communicates with the reservoir 18 by the pipe 19.The reservoir is connected to the motor "1/ by a pipe 20. The feedersare returned to their normal closed position by means of springs 50,each -of which is connected at one end to an arm 51 on the movable sideof the bellows and at the other end to a bracket 52 fixed at the backedge of the key bottom 24. As in the previously described constructionthe frames 12, 1?) and 1st to which the pedals 11 are hinged, arepivoted to the blocks 15 within the piano case. The bottom door is alsomade with an opening covered by a flap 21 which is hinged so as to allowof the pedals being raised and swung back into the case on their frameand the flap is held in its raised position by a spring catch 22 fixedto the key bottom.

Or shown in Figs. 11, 12, 13, 1 1 and 15, the key bottom 24 is coveredin at the top by a board 38 and has mounted underneath the same thebellows or feeders b and the reservoirs 180, 180, in such manner thatthe key bottom itself forms the wind trunk, the result being that allthe bellows devices are mounted underneath the same. In Fig. 11, a, arepresent the pipe connections to the pneumatic wind chests and 20 isthe pipe to the motor. but it is of course evident that wind trunks orconduits made of wood may be used instead of pipes.

A distinct advantage is obtained by mounting the secondary pneumatics ontop of or underneath the wind chests as, by this arrangement, the spacerequired from front to back for the secondary pneumatics is equal onlyto the length of the said pncu matics whereby the primary and secondarypneumatics may occupy the usually wasted space behind the top door andover the hammers of the action. i further advantage is that the distancefrom each secondary pneumatic to its wind chest is much shorter than inany previously known construction.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is1- l. In an automatic player for pianos and similar instruments thecombination with a piano action, of a plurality of rows or banks ofn'imary wind chests, a primary pneumatic and a valve in each wind chest,a perforated bridge over which a perforated music sheet passes, aplurality of conduits or pipe coni'iections between said primary pneumatics and the perforated bridge, a plurality t. secondary pneumaticsmounted horizontally and connected to said wind chests, the rows of thelatter being arranged on each side of said bridge, a motor for movingsaid perforated music sheet, bellows devices connected to the windchests, bridge pneumatics and motor, and means for communicating motionfrom said secondary pneumatics to the piano action, substantially as setforth.

In an automatic player for pianos and similar instruments, thecombination with a piano action, of a plurality of rows or banks ofprimary wind chests, a perforated bridge mounted midway between the twoends of the instrument and over which a perforated music sheet passes, aprimary pneumatic and "alves in each wind chest, a plurality of conduitsor pipe connections between said primary pneumatics and the perforatedbridge, a plurality of secondary pneumatics mounted horizontally andconnected to said wind chests, the rows of the latter being arranged oneach side of said bridge, a motor for moving said perforated music sheetover said bridge, bellows devices connected to said wind chests, bridge,pneumatics and motor, and means for com1mmicating motion from said.secondary pneumatics to the piano action. 7

3. In an automatic player for pianos and similar instruments, thecontinuation with a piano action, of a plurality of rows or banks ofprimary wind chests, a primary pneumatic and valve in each wind chest, aperforated bridge mounted midway between the two ends of theinstrumentand over which a perforated. sheet of music passes, aplurality of conduits or pipe connections between said primary meumaticsand the perforated bridge, a plurality of secondary pneumatics mountedhorizontally and connected to said wind chests, the rows of the latterbeing arranged on each side of said bridge, a inot'or for moving saidperforated music sheet pver said bridge, bellows devices connected tosaid wind chests, bridge, pneumatics and motor, a plurality of doublearmed levers mounted below said secondary pneumatics, a connectionbetween the movable side of each of said secondary pneumatics and onearm of a double-armed lever, and means for communicating motion from theother arms of said double-armed levers to the piano action.

l. In an automatic player for pianos and similar instruments, thecombination with a piano action, of a )lurality of rows or banks ofprimary wind chests, a primary pneumatic in each wind chest, aoerforatetil bridge mounted midway between the two ends of theinstrument, a perforated sheet of music movable over the bridge, aplurality of con-- duits or pipe connections between the pri marypneumatics and the perforated bridge, a plurality of secondarypneumatics mounted on the underside of and connected to said windchests, the rows of the latter being arranged on each side of saidbridge, a motor for moving the perforated music sheet over said bridge,bellows devices connected to said wind chests, bridge, pneinnatics andmotor, a plurality of double armed levers mounted below said, secondarypneiunatics, a connection between the movable side of each of saidsecondary pneumatics and one arm of a double-armed lever, and. means forcommimicating motion from the other arms of said double armed levers tothe piano action.

5. In an automatic player for pianos and similar instruments, thecombination with a piano action, of a plurality of rows or banks ofprimary wind chests, a primary pneumatic in each wind chest, aperforated bridge mounted. midway between the two ends of theinstrument, a perforated sheet of music movable over the bridge, aplurality of conduits or pipe connections between said primarypneumatics and the perforated bridge, a plurality of secondarypneumatics mounted on the underside of and connected to said. wind.chests, the rows of the latter being arranged on each side of said.bridge, a motor for moving said perforated music sheet over said bridge,bellows de\ices connected to said wind chests, bridge, pneumab ics, andto drive said motor, a plurality of t louble-armed levers mounted. belowsaid secondary pneun'iatics, a connection bet 'ecn the movable side ofeach of said secondary pneumatics and one arm of a double-arm=nl lover,a plurality of sticker levers, a piurab ity of levers fulcrumed belowand behind the sticker levers adapted to actuate the latter, and aconnection between. the other arm of each of the double armed levers andthe lovers fulcrumed below the sticker levers.

(3. in an automatic player for pianos and similar instruments, thecombination with a. piano action, of a perforated bridge over which aperili'orated sheet of music passes. a plurality of rows or banks ofpriniary wind chests arranged on each side of said perforated bridge, aprimary pneumatic and valve in each wind chest, a plurality of conduitsor pipe coni'iectioi'is between said primary pneumatics and theperforated bridge, a plurality of secondary pnemnatics mountedhorizontally with their outer free ends toward the front and connectedto said wind tit) lot)

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chests, a motor for moving said perforated 1 music sheet, bellowsdevices connected to the wind chests, bridge, pneumatics and motor, andmeans for communicating motion from said secondary pneumatics to thepiano action.

T. In an automatic player for pianos and similar instruments, thecombination with a piano action, of a plurality of rows or banks ofprimary wind chests mounted one above the other and fixed together so asto be. bodily removable, a perforated bridge over which a perforatedmusic sheet passes, said wind chests being arranged in blocks one oneach side of the perforated bridge, a primary pneumatic and valve ineach wind chest, a plurality of conduits or pipe connections betweensaid primary pneumatics and the perforated bridge, a plurality ofsecondary pneumatics mounted horizontally and connected to said Windchests, a motor for moving said perforated music sheet, bellows devicesconnected to the wind chests, bridge, pneumatics and motor, and meansfor communicating motion from. said secondary pneumatics to the pianoaction.

8. In an automatic player for pianos and similar instruments, thecombination With a piano action and a plurality of secondary pneumatics,of a plurality of rock shafts mounted one above the other, having crankarms thereon, means for communicating the motion of each secondarypneumatic to one of the crank arms and means for communicating motionfrom the other crank arm to 3 a member of the piano action.

9. In an automatic player for pianos and similar instruments, thecombination with a piano action and a plurality of secondary neumatics,of a plurality of rock shafts of 4 different lengths mounted one abovethe other, having crank arms thereon, means for communicating the motionof each secondary pneumatic to one of the crank arms and means forcommunicating motion from the 4 other crank arm to a member of the pianoaction.

10. in an automatic player for pianos and similar instruments, thecombination with a piano action and a plurality of secondary 5pneumatics, of a removable board, a plurality of rock shafts mounted oneabove the other on said board, and having crank arms thereon, means forcommunicating the motion of each secondary pneumatic to one of 5 thecrank arms, and means for communicating motion from the other crank armto a member of the piano action.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY EDXVARD GREEN.

lVitnesses:

H. D. Jameson, V. JENSEN.

